Combined radiator shell and grille



Feb. 23, 1937. G. E. WHITLOCK COMBINED'RADIATOR SHELL AND GRILLE Filed June 10, 1955 INVENTOR GEORGE E. WHITLOCK ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 23, 1937 TAT UNITED? George E. Whitlock, Toledo, Ohio; assigno'r to The City Auto Stamping Company, Toledo; Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 10,

2 Claims.

The invention relates to grilles such as are com: monly used in connection with automobile radiators and are attached to the shell so as to extend across the front opening therein. These grilles consist of a series of vertically extending bars which for lightness are usually formed of pressed sheet metal of U-shaped cross section. The grille is usually formed separate from the radiator shell and is attached thereto at its upper and lower ends which underlap the shell and one or more intermediate cross bars serves to hold the grille bars in properly spaced relation. It is the object of the present invention to simplify the construction by forming a portion of the grille bars inte- 5 gral with the radiator shell. There is not, however, sufficient metal in the blank from which the shell is fashioned to form all of the grille bars, if these are closely spaced and of the required depth. I therefore space the integrally formed bars a greater distance than desirable in the finished grille and place intermediate these bars separately formed bars to secure the desired spacing. The construction is also such that these separately formed bars may be easily attached to the shell so as to give the appearance of a completely integral construction. The invention therefore consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing a portion of a combined radiator shell and grille of my improved construction and broken away to show the elements thereof;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar cross section on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section showing the reinforcing cross bars and the manner of engaging the same;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing a modified construction.

In the present state of the art radiator shells are usually formed from pressed sheet metal fashioned into an annulushaving a rounded cross sectional contour. Where the shell is formed from a contim'ious blank the central portion of this is cut away to leave the opening for access of air tothe radiator and in which opening the grille is placed. With my improved construction instead of cutting out the central portion of the blank it is slitted and then pressed to form a series of vertically extending bars of U-shaped cross section, the sides of said Us being formed by the metal which is intermediate adjacent bars. Thus as shown in Fig. 1, A is the radiator shell 1935, Serial Nb. .901

and B, B, etc., are the grille bars which are formed integral with the shell and which are of a U-shaped cross section as shown in Fig. 4. In the fashioning of the shell there is formed on the inner edge thereof surrounding the opening a depressed marginal portion C. The bars B, B, etc., have their rounded fronts in a plane which is spaced outward from that of the depressed marginal shell portion and the ends of the bars are rounded inward to merge into the depressed portion as shown in Fig. 2. To complete the grille bars D, D, etc., of similar U-shaped cross section are placed intermediate the integral bars B, B, and have their opposite ends flattened as indicated at E to underlap and lie adjacent to the portions C to which they are secured, preferably by welding. If desired, the bars D, D, etc., may all be formed from an integral sheet metal blank having their ends connected by the portions E as shown in Fig. 1. In another modification shown in Fig. 5, the bars D, D, are connected to each other at one end only, their opposite ends having fiat tabs F which underlap and are secured to the portions C.

To reinforce the grille bars and to hold the same properly spaced, oneor more transverse bars are attached thereto intermediate the upper and lower ends of the shell. Such a reinforced bar is shown in Fig. 4, being preferably formed of two members G and H which are slotted respectively through their inner and outer edges to embrace the bars D and B. The bar H underlaps the portions C at the opposite sides of the shell, being provided with a flange H which is Welded thereto. member H and is welded thereto at intervals. Also, the outer edge of the bar G is bent or fashioned to form a rounded bead which conceals the joint between the same and the bar H.

In some designs of radiator shells the sides are not parallel to each other or to the grille bars. I therefore provide one or more short grille bars I which are integral with the shell but which extend only a portion of its vertical length. Ihe opposite ends of these bars merge into the The member G overlaps the portion C and the intermediate portions are be simultaneously formed with the fashioning of the shell.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A combined radiator shell and grille comprising an annular shell portion of rounded cross sectional contour and having a depressed marginal portion surrounding the front opening and a series of grille bars integral with the shell extending across said opening and formed from the metal between the sides of the annulus, said bars being of a U-shaped cross section with the bends of the us arranged in a plane spaced forward from said depressed marginal portion, the opposite ends of said bars merging into said portion, and separately formed integral bars arranged between said integral bars and having their opposite ends underlapping and secured to the depressed marginal portion of said shell.

2. A combined radiator shell and grille comprising an annular shell portion having a rounded cross sectional contour with a depressed marginal portion surrounding the front opening, and a series of grille bars integral with the shell extending across the opening, each bar being of a U-shaped cross section with the legs of the U extending rearward and the bend of the U in a plane forward of said depressed marginal portion with the ends of the bars curved to merge into said portion, and grille bars of corresponding shape formed from a separate blank and provided at their opposite ends With flattened portions underlapping the depressed marginal portion of said shell and welded thereto.

GEORGE E. WHITLOCK. 

